


Sailors Song, Siren's Lament

by SilverSilence14



Series: MCSM AU Series [1]
Category: MCSM, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fantasy, Fantasy AU, Mermaids, Multi, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-01-25 08:53:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12527604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverSilence14/pseuds/SilverSilence14
Summary: Lukas was expecting a quiet boring fall with his cousin Aiden. Stuck staying in the sleepy seaside village along the Oregon coast with weak lungs was far from ideal. So here he was stuck, idly working in a shop listening to fish tales all day.But after meeting a mysterious swimmer in the chilling Pacific waters, Lukas and Aiden just might be in for a more eventful time than planned.





	1. Prologue

**_ Prologue _ **

* * *

**__ **

_The Sailor's Song:_

_The sailor once asked the siren of the sea, "My love, is there any way you can stay with me?" The sea daughter, with a voice like silk answered with this, "My world must be yours, and yours must be mine. We must become one soul, one mind. But our love must be true, or no bond there will be; that is the only way you can stay with me...." The daughter turned sad, a tear in her eye, "But I know not how to prove this,"_

_The sailor leaned in and answered with a smile, "Kiss me and I shall show you."_

* * *

 

            Isa Auri Harris got out of her car, her makeup was smeared, her hair disheveled. She slammed the door hard behind her. The motion was unintentional, but a dented door or shattered window was the last thing on her mind. .

            Dark was the night as the wind howled, the Pacific Ocean slamming hard against the coastal cliffs. The summer storm pouring down beyond the safety of her car drenched her instantly, sticking long black hair to her face. The streets were illuminated with struggling streetlights trying not to topple in the gale, red and blue flashed, blinding those foolish enough to look at the mass amounts of ambulances and police vehicles.

            Isa forced her way to the nearest police car, weaving her way through the crowds. “Move please! I need to get through! Move!”

            An officer grabbed her by the arm, “Ma’am you need to stay back!”

            “You don’t understand my-”

            “Ma’am you can’t-“

            “Let her go Parker, she’s with me.”

            The officer let go and Isa hurried to the tall male, grabbing onto his hands, “Gabe, Gabe where is she?!”

            Gabriel sighed, “Isa we got over a hundred boats out there, the coast guard and a helicopter. Everyone is looking as hard as they can with the storm-”

            “Gabe where is my sister?! Where is my brother in law?! They were out on that boat with-”

            “We already found the boat Isa...."

            Her heart froze and tears pooled in her eyes, “Y-you said the boat.”

            “It hit the rocks, no one was on board-“

            “Oh God!” Isa choked on a wail, she bent over, covering her mouth with her hands, struggling not to vomit. “Oh God no, please no!”

            “Isa, we _will_ find her. We all grew up here! We all played in that ocean. She’s a strong swimmer. We’re going to find her Isa. We're going to find _them._ ”

            “Oh God oh God oh God!” she sobbed, tears running down her face salt water mixing with the rain.

            A voice cut through the cocktail mixture that was spectators and police radios.

            “We found the kid!”

            Isa’s head shot up and Gabe turned around. The crowd went into a frenzy trying to see the source of the call. A search and rescue officer was rushed off the boat dock, a blanket covered screaming child in his arms.

            “Someone get him to the hospital he’s got hypothermia!”

            Isa pushed against the wave of sailor’s and officers, “Gabe! Gabe, let me see him!”

            Gabe pulled her close pushing through the throng of people, “Out of the way people, out of the way!”

            Isa raced up to the ambulance, “Wait wait!”

            “We can’t!” The EMT said, “He has to go!”

            “She’s family!” Gabe assured.

            The woman looked Isa up and down, “Get in!”

            Isa immediately jumped into the vehicle, squeezing Gabe’s hand as she went, “Tell Milo where I am? Call me as soon as they find my sister and her husband!”

            “I will, you hang in there hun!”

            Isa settled down in a chair as the doors slammed shut.  The male EMT was struggling to sooth the toddler in his arms. Isa extended her hands out to him, “H-here, let me hold him.”

            The other handed the child over, “They found him in the lifeboat. He was alone, there was no one else with him.”

            _No one else._

            She struggled on tears, taking the small boy into her arms, “Hi Aiden sweetie.” She pulled him close, the three year old immediately latching onto her; recognizing family. “I’m here, I’m here,” she adjusted the blanket around him, tears running down her cheeks; “I’m here.”

            Aiden whimpered clinging onto her tightly, tears staining his little cheeks, “No,” he cried.

            “No what honey.”

            “Don’t like,” he sniffed.

            Isa looked at the EMT, “What does that mean?”

            “He keeps saying that.  He’s been saying it since the search crews picked him up from the lifeboat.”

            “No don’t like~” Aiden whined.

            “Don’t like what sweetie?” Isa asked, running fingers through sea salt caked hair. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

            “No stop~”

            “Stop what honey? Who won’t stop what?”

            Aiden looked up at here, big eyes full of large tears.

            The next words sent chills through Isa’s core and she didn’t understand why,

            “ _Singing.”_


	2. The Cove

 

            **_16 Years Later….._**

            They say the cove is a place of danger, and really in a way it is.

            You have to scale sharp rocks over turbulent waters to get there, and you have to be back before the tide or you’re stuck in the cove till it recedes.

            It’s a beautiful place, tucked in, isolated from the rest of society. It’s the best place to catch bait fish, because of the isolation the tourists who don’t find it worth the climb.

            To the locals however, it’s dangerous for other reasons; because the cove is strongly believed to be a place that houses mermaids.

            Aiden Harris’s feet touched down on the rocks, the barnacles crunching under his feet. Aiden didn’t believe in superstitious drabble and he didn’t fear the rocks and the waves of the coast either.

            He personally found the private secluded cove to be beautiful, tucked underneath the cliffs it was protected and quiet, especially at night. This was the best time to hunt for bait.

            Aiden sank his hands into the cold Pacific water, getting the feel of the briskness. He could see bare traces of the bioluminescent creatures, floating about in the black waters. The cool wetness sent the tips of his fingers immediately numb, and he slowly pulled his hands out wiping them on his jeans.

            Another late night at work.

            He began digging around in his pack, looking for his net, when a faint distant humming floated up to his ears. Aiden paused, looking around the dark cove. The humming was coming from beyond the rocky edge, out into the water. He turned on his flashlight, casting the beams out to the far end of the cove.

            Aiden immediately spotted a pale skinned female, her upper body exposed behind some rocks positioned out in the gentle waves. He was temporarily stunned to see another person here. He hadn’t expected anyone else to be out in the cove; especially this late at night. But there she was, with her pale white skin, long orange red hair-

            “Ummmm?”

            She immediately stopped humming, looking quickly over her shoulder. She yelped in surprise, and quickly disappeared the rest of the way down the rocks and into the water with a splash.

            “Hey wait!” Aiden quickly got up and hurried back to the edge of the rocks, sliding out a bit on the slimy stones, “Hey!”

            Her head popped out of the black waters, just three feet from the edge, “You’re hurting my eyes,” she stated simply.

            Aiden quickly shut off his flashlight, “Sorry,” he said as he blinked rapidly to adapt to the darkness.

            “You startled me.”

            “You startled _me,”_ Aiden said, “I thought I was the only one who came out here at night.”

            “I come here a lot,” she replied, “Usually at night.”

            He looked her up and down, and she stared back with unblinking blue eyes.  He tried not to look much lower than her face, he thought he saw a halter neck underneath her thick wavy hair, but he wasn’t sure. As far as he could tell her shoulders were bare, “Aren’t- aren’t you freezing? The water is kinda cold.”

            The ginger shrugged, “It’s not that cold. It doesn’t bother me.”

            Aiden dipped his fingers into the water, the cold sending zings up his arm, “Yeah okay….”

            “So….what are you doing here?” she asked.

            “Getting bait for the place I work,” he answered, “What are you doing here?”

            “Swimming,” she replied as if it was obvious.

            “You must be a strong swimmer.”

            “Better than most.”

            Aiden coughed, “So…..You’re just out here singing?”

            “I wasn’t singing.”

            “You were humming,”

            “That’s not singing,” The female said dryly.

            “Oh….my bad,” Aiden mumbled.

            “Do you come out here often?” she asked, “I’ve never seen you here before?”

            “Well it’s been a few weeks since I’ve been here, it wasn’t a good time to catch bait yet.”

            “Bait?”

            “Yeah bait,” Aiden explained, “I work at this shop that sells bait and tackle for the fisherman-“

            She cut him off, “Are you a fisherman?”

            “What? No. I mean I have a boat but-“

            “Ah so you are a sailor?”

            Aiden gave her a funny look, “Wouldn’t call myself that either.”

            The ginger’s eyebrows scrunched together in a mixture of confusion and frustration, “Then what would you call yourself?”

            _This is a really odd conversation,_ Aiden thought, “I’m me I guess. Aiden, me, person, human, I don’t know? You ask really weird questions, quite a first impression.”

            She didn’t take notice to his statement, “Aiden…” she tested, the word sliding off her tongue like silk, “Aiden….” She purred again. “Hmmm.” Then she backed deeper into the water.

            Ignoring the shivers on his spine, Aiden leaned forward, “Wait where are you going?”

            “Home,”

            “You’re swimming?!”

            She looked at him, “I always swim home,” she smiled, pearly white teeth glimmering. “But I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around~ _Aiden.”_ Then she splashed him in the face.

            Aiden yelped at the icy water hit him, “Hey!” he rubbed the salt water out of his eyes, blinking away the burn, “Low blow-“he froze.

            There were only ripples in the water where the female once was.

            _I didn’t even get your name…_

            Aiden did search around the cove for a moment, trying to see if the mysterious female had decided to hide somewhere. But Aiden was alone now, just him, the ocean and the graffiti stained abandoned row boat on the rocks.

            Aiden stared at the writing and scoffed, returning to his net, “Yeah right….” He mumbled.

            _Beware of mermaids…._

* * *

 

“You’ll have lots of fun,” His mother urged, “You’ll get to see the ocean every day, smell the fresh sea air, maybe go fishing.”

            Lukas Anderson sighed, resting his head against the passenger window, “Mom you don’t have to play it up for me, I already know you don’t like it there.”

            His mother smiled tensely eyes darting back and forth between him and the road, “I grew up there sweetie, no one likes their hometown. But I’m sure _you’ll_ have fun.”

            “Yeah…..”

            Lukas wasn’t stupid, his mother wouldn’t step a foot into her hometown unless she had to, and the reason wasn’t because she grew up there.

            “Your aunt has been there her whole life, she doesn’t complain.”

            “Mmhmmm,”

            His mother’s smile dropped, and she placed a hand on his leg, “Lukas sweetie you know why we have to do this.” She gave him a squeeze, “The doctor said the cooler sea air will help with your lungs.”

            “I know,” Lukas said bitterly, “And you only want what’s best for me.”

            “Then why are you so upset?”

            “Cause nothing happens here mom!” he gestured out the window to the foggy coastline far below. “I’ll be spending almost a whole year dying of boredom.”

            “Your cousin lives there still, you can spend time with him, and you can even get a job if you want – just as long as it’s not too stressful on you.”

            “So fisherman or tourist shop,” Lukas frowned.

            His mother briefly looked at him, “Lukas, I know this is hard. I know staying in a little old crusty sea town isn’t ideal. But we can’t afford to send you to a more extravagant place.”

            “I’m not upset about that.” Lukas assured, “I am grateful Aunt Isa and Uncle Milo offered to help out it’s just-“

            “I don’t want to leave you there, really I don’t,” his mom said,  “But we need to help you….” She placed a hand on his cheek, “Just…..try to stay far away from the ocean for me?”

            Lukas forced a weak smile, “Don’t worry Mom, I’ll stay in the shallows.”

            She let out a relieved sigh, “Good,” she looked forward, both hands gripping the wheel, “Who knows though, something surprising might happen. You might see a mermaid,” she teased.

            Lukas looked back out the window, sighing inwardly, _if only the town would be that lucky._

           


	3. Fathoms Below

Lukas awkwardly kicked at a pebble as his mother and aunt talked away, the chilly sea breeze air nipping at his skin. They had already done the obligated ‘hi how have you been’ and ‘oh look how you’ve grown’. Now Lukas was stuck waiting for the two woman to finish their chat.

He could see the forced smile on his mom’s lips. She didn’t like to be here, his mom would never stay here longer than she was need. Which is why visiting on holidays never happened.

His aunt Isa was just a forced in her smile, Lukas honest to God couldn’t remember when the two of them talked last, even over the phone. But she stayed courteous regardless of his mom’s obvious disdain for being back home.

“We’ll take good care of Lukas here,” she assured, “He’ll have lots of fun, and I’m sure Magnus might even let him work at his shop a bit while Aiden’s working.”

 _Sounds like a blast,_ Lukas mused to himself. He eyed Isa's home. Isa and Milo lived in a elegant three story manor settled higher up in the hills then the rest of the town. The front of the house didn't actually face the road. The driveway curved around, going to the front of the house, while the back of the house faced the ocean and had a lovely view of the town and the endless horizon. The house was built into the hill, so you had the first floor, the second level and the basement, which was exposed and actually exited out into the backyard. Lukas vaguely recalled playing hide and seek a lot in the large home. Plenty of places to hide....

 “Where is Aiden?” his mom asked.

“On his way home from work. He was up fairly early this morning, he sometimes goes out and brings in crab traps for the older fisherman, a little odd work on the side. He’s working on earnings so he can tune up his boat almost all the time you know.”

“I’m surprised he goes out there…considering.”

Isa’s grin became a little more strained, “Well, we were young and fearless once too-“

"Yes, well, it's been lovely to see you sister dear, but I really have to be heading back. It's a long drive," his mom gritted out.

“No no, I have to check on dinner anyway. Drive safe.” Isa agreed.

They didn’t even hug each other.

His mom turned to him and Lukas put on his best grin for her, “Please tell me you’ll not do anything reckless,” she asked.

 “Promise,” he assured. “Nothing even remotely interesting will happen to me, I assure you.”

“Just, the ocean-“

 “Mom,” Lukas cut in, “I’ll stick to the local aquarium if I want to see the fish.”

 She let out a loose exhale and gave him a hug, squeezing him tight, “Just be careful, and get better soon.”

“It’s just a year.” He mumbled.

“Just a year,” she agreed, she kissed him on the forehead, “I’ll call often. Maybe come down for Christmas, or Thanksgiving if I can get the time off. Call me whenever you need me.”

“Okay…”

She smiled wearily, climbing into her car. She exited out of the driveway, just as a dark teal pickup chugged up the other side of the curved lot.

Isa, who had been casually leaning against the porch railing smiled brightly, “There he is.”

Lukas looked over just as Aiden climbed out of the truck, boots crunching over the gravel. He and Aiden used to be super close as kids, changing letters and such, then life sorta got in the way. The only reason he recognized him at all is because Isa was fairly consistent in sending the family photos every year.

“Aiden honey-”

“Yes Mom, I remembered the milk at the store.” Aiden called, grabbing the grocery bags from the side seat.

“That’s fine, but you’re cousin is here,”

Aiden turned around, glancing briefly towards Lukas’s mom’s departing car, “Oh so that was-“ he walked over, stopping sort of Lukas, “Hi…”

Lukas rubbed his elbow, “Hi,” he said, “Um….long time no see?”

 “It’s been awhile yeah,” Aiden agreed, “Like what? We were seven last time we saw each other?”

“Something like that.”

Aiden shifted awkwardly, “So, how have you been?”

“Sick,” Lukas answered with a weak chuckle.”

“Oh….right.”

“Um, how about you?”

“Just, uh, working.”

“Cool.”

“Yep.”

They stood there in silence, awkwardness making it worse as the rain began to drizzle down on their heads.

Isa laughed, “You two will get used to each other again. Come on boys, let’s warm up in the house before the rain starts to fall even more.”

Lukas scooped up two of his duffle bags and Aiden grabbed the other with his free hand. “I like your truck,” Lukas commented

“Thanks,” Aiden said.

“I don’t even have my own car yet,”

“I’ll let you take it for a spin as soon as I confirm you’re not crazy.” The brunet smirked.

 Lukas grinned, “Aunt Isa says you have a boat.”

“Yep!” the other answered, “I’ll take you out on it if you want.”

"Maaaaybe we’ll find mermaids,” Lukas laughed.

Aiden groaned as they walked into the house, “Let me lay down this law _right_ now. There are no such things as mermaids!”

* * *

 

 

Out in the ocean inlet, a few miles below the surface water, Aiden’s claim continued to be proven a lie.

For deep in the fathoms below, lay a colony of _merfolk_ , hardly five miles out to sea away from the sleepy seaside village.

The creatures down here did not know they were doing as such. In fact, most of them pressed to keep a quiet and hidden life. Safe below under the water and well away from humans, they preferred the calm life.

This is exactly what _wasn’t_ going on in the merfolk’s palace at that this very moment.

“No means no means no!” Steve stated forcefully, stabbing the butt of his staff into the coral floor.

“But Daaad,” Jesse begged, ornate long sea green tail swirling about as he paced back and forth in front of his father, “Petra gets to go-“

“Petra is Jack’s problem. Where she decides to swim about is not my concern,” Steve leaned back into his seat, “My child however, my _only_ child might I add, will not be gallivanting all around the reef.”

“I am sick of being in the place!” Jesse snapped. “I have explored every nook and cranny of this palace, read everything there is to read, I just want to explore is that too much to ask!”

“Yes! What if a human finds you!”

“They won’t! They never come down this deep and I just want to go out to the reef-“

“No Jesse!”

Jesse hovered there for a moment longer, arms quivering, then he quickly fled the room in a flurry of bubbles.

Steve groaned, covering his eyes, “Neptune’s beard by me?”

Across the room, his brother closed the coral cover of his book, “You handled that swimmingly,” Herobrine purred.

“Shush,”

“Steve?”

The brunet merman peeked open an eye just as his mate swam into the room. Alex glanced briefly over her shoulder through the entrance she had just come through, “Jesse just raced past me rather quickly, is everything alright?” she asked, worried.

Herobrine got up the scarred merman swimming over her, “Someone was told no again.”

“Oh? _Oh.”_

Alex swam over to Steve, still groaning to himself, her long orange hair swirling about her as she moved, “Steve darling,” she settled onto his lap, “Again?”

“I don’t want to risk it Alex,” he whispered, settling his head against her shoulder and she wrapped her arms around him. “Can you blame me.”

“No I can’t, but if he’s anything like you he’s only going sneak out sooner or later.”

“I’m just so afraid that-“

“Shh, I know, but it has been many centuries.”

“Humans are different now,” Steve stated bitterly, “They have no respect for the oceans anymore. There is no awe and fear, no belief in magic and wonder. Even the whalers of old had at least a little respect. Now the humans only study, taking all they can find…I just don’t want Jesse to be one of the things taken from us.”

“Perhaps a compromise?”

“Please tell me you’re not taking his side.”

 “I’m not. Allow him to go to the reef though, this time of year is too cold for the humans to dive, and there are plenty of places for him to hide if one does happen to come by.”

“But-“

 “He’s a smart boy beloved, if you give him some breathing room –Let’s face it, he’s swimming in circles cooped up here. Allow him to have some fun in the reef, make sure he always has some friends with him.”

Steve huffed.

“Steve~”

“I just don’t want things to go wrong Alex,” he flinched, “Like it did for….” He sighed. “Alright.”

Alex smiled brightly.

“I’ll talk to him this evening. _Only_ the reef,” he warned.

“Only the reef,” Alex agreed, kissing him on his jaw, “Everything will be alright, and if things go wrong, we’ll be there to help him.”

Steve sighed, looking wistfully out the open arch of his room, watching as the ocean life passed by, “I fear for when things _do_ go wrong….”


End file.
